Sieper-Werke (The Sieper Company) was founded in 1921. It was originally a manufacturer of metal tools and cutlery in zamac and aluminum and, later on, ashtrays, badges, medals, belt buckles, and buttons. The factory located in Ludenscheid, Germany, was outfitted with new casting molds in 1949 for grating, sandblasting and painting zinc cast goods. The company was even contracted to make Mercedes-Benz's star-shaped hood ornament. The company also experimented with early plastics. In 1943 the company expanded to a facility located in Hilchenbach, about 30 miles from Lüdenscheid, though the latter has always been the Sieper-Werke's headquarters. Still, consumer products like plastics, furniture, mirrors and cabinets have been developed and manufactured in the Hilchenbach facility. The Lüdenscheid facility, in turn, generally focused on promotional items for other major brands. It was not until 1950 that the company started producing toys in Lüdenscheid, registering the trademark SIKU for the new products. SIKU originates from abbreviating the name of the founder of the company, Richard SIeper, and the German word for plastic, KUnststoffe (e.g. Sieper Plastics). Originally, there was a broad variety of SIKU toys, which at first were plastic, including figures and animals. These were often called 'margarine' figures because they came in margarine packages in a food “give away” promotional. The success of the plastic figures gave capital for SIKU to start their post WWII vehicle line.
SIKU produced this model for the toy brand Verlag PERMA GmbH Nürnberg, Germany. Plastic body with solid windows and details of the front and rear hood, doors, headlights and a raised license plate light. No chassis and plastic wheels are part of the body. There is a number 4 under the front hood and a round mold mark under the back part of the roof as well as the front hood. Similar to SIKU FRIHOMA JAMIN Split VW. A metal clip attached to the rear wheels, used to steer the car around by magnetic force on the PERMA game board. The PERMA game board set came with several other cars and plastic houses.
